Flu illness tracking season officially kicks off with Walgreens' latest Flu Index

Walgreens on Wednesday launched its first Flu Index for the 2017-18 season. The Flu Index is a weekly report that ranks the top markets and states for flu activity in the U.S., including Puerto Rico.



Brownsville and Beaumont, Texas are among the top markets for flu this week, and Texas and Arkansas top the list of U.S. states with the most flu activity.



“Each flu season is unique and unpredictable, which is why we developed the Flu Index four years ago to help our customers, health officials and local news media stay up-to-date on flu activity in their community,” stated Dorothy Chrzaszcz, director of immunizations at Walgreens. “The Flu Index leverages data from nearly 8,000 locations across the U.S. each week, and can serve as a trusted resource and indicator of activity, reminding people of the importance of flu prevention.”

The flu season last week crossed the seasonal threshold established by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as 2.3% of patient visits reported through the U.S. Outpatient Influenza-like Illness Surveillance Network were due to influenza-like illness. This percentage is above the national baseline of 2.2%.



Now in its fourth year, the Walgreens Flu Index is compiled using the drug store chain’s weekly retail prescription data for antiviral medications used to treat influenza across Walgreens and Duane Reade locations nationwide, and Walgreens locations in Puerto Rico. In addition to the top markets and states for activity, the Flu Index also ranks the markets and states experiencing the greatest gains in activity on a week-over-week basis. As flu cases continue to increase across the U.S. just as the holiday travel season approaches, the Flu Index underscores the importance of taking preventive measures, such as receiving a flu shot, to help stay healthy throughout the season.



As of Dec. 2, the top 10 designated marketing areas with flu activity were:

1. 
   Harlingen-Weslaco-Brownsville-McAllen, Texas;


2. 
   Beaumont-Port Arthur, Texas;


3. 
   Tyler-Longview (Lufkin & Nacogdoches), Texas;


4. 
   Corpus Christi, Texas;


5. 
   Houston;


6. 
   Little Rock-Pine Bluff, Ark.;


7. 
   Waco-Temple-Bryan, Texas;


8. 
   Dallas-Ft. Worth, Texas;


9. 
   San Antonio; and


10. 
    Ft. Smith-Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, Ark.

The Index is not intended to illustrate levels or severity of flu activity, but rather, based on this methodology, to show which populations are experiencing the highest incidences of influenza within the U.S. and Puerto Rico each week.



Data for the Walgreens Flu Index is analyzed at state and geographic market levels to measure absolute impact and incremental change of antiviral medications on a per store average basis, and does not include markets in which Walgreens has fewer than 10 retail locations.